OAKLAND – Don’t think of Josh Hamilton’s hot streak as meaningless or too little, too late. Think of it as a good start to 2014.

At least, the Angels are hoping it is.

Hamilton’s resurgence continued in the Angels’ 5-4, 11-inning victory over the Oakland A’s on Wednesday, in which he tied the score in the ninth with a two-run homer and provided the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly.

Hamilton has hit .328 over the past 36 games. That included a 4-for-21 drought over the previous five games, but Hamilton said that was nothing more than a blip.

“I feel good,” he said. “I feel like I’m having good at-bats, even when the results aren’t there. Having quality at-bats, that’s what you want. It’s good going into next year.”

The impact of Hamilton’s September 2013 performance on 2014 will be in the confidence he brings to next season, Manager Mike Scioscia said.

“I think it’s really important,” Scioscia said. “No matter where guys are in their career or how much talent they have, there is always going to be confidence issues that are going to carry over from week to week, month to month.

“No doubt, the first month of the season, Josh was searching hard for a lot of things, and we’ve seen a lot of them come together in the last month. I hope it has the impact on Josh, for his confidence, that it should. This guy is a terrific player who really struggled at times early in this season.”

Hamilton had been hitless in his first three at-bats Wednesday afternoon, with the Angels trailing, 4-2. When he came to the bat in the ninth, All-Star closer Grant Balfour was on the mound, with Erick Aybar on first.

Balfour threw a fastball by Hamilton. Then he tried to do it again.

Hamilton said he was “fortunate enough to barrel it up,” launching it into the right-field seats for his 21st homer.

In the 11th, with runners at the corners and one out, Hamilton was facing left-hander Jerry Blevins, who had struck him out with the bases loaded the night before. Hamilton said he struggles with Blevins’ slow breaking balls. Hamilton was behind, 0-2, after he missed the first two, so on the third he just tried to poke it to the outfield, which he did.

“He’s been swinging the bat a lot better,” said pitcher Jason Vargas, who gave up four runs in six innings. “Everyone knows he’s a big part of this team. To see him come around and have big at-bats is huge, especially late in games like that.”

The Angels' Josh Hamilton hits a two-run homer to tie the game 4-4 in the top of the ninth at O.co Coliseum on Wednesday in Oakland. THEARON W. HENDERSON, GETTY IMAGES
The Angels' Mike Trout (left) celebrates with J.B. Shuck after hitting a two-run homer against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning at O.co Coliseum on Wednesday in Oakland. GEORGE NIKITIN, AP
The Oakland Athletics' Coco Crisp follows through on a two-run home run against the Angels during the third inning at O.co Coliseum on Wednesday in Oakland. GEORGE NIKITIN, AP
Angels pitcher Jason Vargas (front) looks down as the Athletics' Coco Crisp rounds third base after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning at O.co Coliseum on Wednesday in Oakland. GEORGE NIKITIN, AP
The Oakland Athletics' Yoenis Cespedes hits a two run homer against the Angels during the third inning at O.co Coliseum on Wednesday in Oakland. GEORGE NIKITIN, AP
The Angels' Josh Hamilton hits a two-run home run in the ninth inning at O.co Coliseum on Wednesday in Oakland. Hamilton's home run tied the game, 4-4. The Angels beat the A's, 5-4, in 11 innings. GEORGE NIKITIN, AP
The Angels' Josh Hamilton (right) get a high five in the dugout after hitting a game-tying two-run homer against the Oakland Athletics during the ninth inning at O.co Coliseum on Wednesday in Oakland. GEORGE NIKITIN, AP
The Angels' J.B. Shuck high-fives teammates after scoring the game-winning run in the 11th inning at O.co Coliseum on Wednesday in Oakland. GEORGE NIKITIN, AP
Angels pitcher Ernesto Frieri looks up after the Angels defeated the Oakland Athletics 5-4 in 11 innings at O.co Coliseum on Wednesday in Oakland. GEORGE NIKITIN, AP

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